For a decade starting in the mid-1980s, Michael Tangi was among the highest-profile public figures in eastern Stark County.

The sole judge of Alliance Municipal Court, Tangi attracted attention for occasionally bringing tough judgment on defendants. For example, he sent a woman with 30 cats to jail when she broke her promise to get rid of 27 of them, according to a story published in The Repository.

But after losing a re-election bid in 1995 to Republican challenger Robert Lavery, Tangi, a Democrat, focused on family and skiing rather than public life.

"I became a judge because it was a lot easier than being a trial lawyer," said Tangi, who continues to live in Alliance. "A couple lawyers called me and wanted me to help them work on cases. But I said no. I retired. I put my license in escrow. I worked hard when I was a trial lawyer."

HOMETOWN BOY

Tangi grew up in Alliance, obtained a bachelor's degree from Kent State University and his law degree from Ohio State University College of Law.

Tangi, who had been a member of the Stark County Metropolitan Housing Authority board, became a judge in 1986 when then-Gov. Richard Celeste, a Democrat, appointed him to the Municipal Court bench. He succeeded John Gwin, who died while still a judge.

Tangi won election in 1987 to fill Gwin's unexpired term by defeating Republican challenger James Puckett, who at one time was Alliance mayor.

In 1989, Tangi was unopposed and won election to a full six-year term.

As a judge, Tangi constantly was hearing allegations of criminal acts against local and area residents.

However, "I generally put a high standard on humanity," Tangi said. "A good 90 percent of them are fine people. That is what the job is, seeing people who have got problems."

Local attorney Shawn Robertson, who defended clients in Alliance Municipal Court, recalls when the Stark County Public Defender's office temporarily stopped handling misdemeanor criminal cases in Alliance Municipal Court because of financial constraints and Tangi had appointed him to the cases.

"Judge Tangi had a reputation," said Robertson, who began practicing law in the early 1990s. "He had the reputation that jail was a very real, distinct and possible reality. You had to try to win the case."

DEFEAT

Tangi's political fortune changed in 1995, when then-City Law Director Robert Lavery set his sights on becoming a judge. Tangi lost by 647 votes.

He still harbors some ill feelings about the loss to Lavery, who will retire at the end of the year after serving three consecutive terms. Lavery, as Tangi recalls, had some campaign help from a Minerva business operator.

"He beat me by 500 votes in Minerva," Tangi said. "But I beat him by 150 in the other districts."

Page 2 of 2 - Alliance City Council President John Benincasa said there was no effort to recruit Tangi to re-enter the political sphere locally after he lost the election. Benincasa has been active with the Alliance Democratic Party.

"I guess he had other interests at that time," Benincasa said. "He followed those interests. We didn't see much of him. Even prior to that election (1995), he was not active on the local level. He was more active on the county level."

Now, at age 86, Tangi spends time visiting his wife, Patricia, who resides in a private nursing facility in the Sebring area.

"I was 69 when I lost my election," Tangi said. "I skied until I was 79. I skied Europe and every place in this country. I skied every winter. I have been known to ski in 10 (degrees) below zero."

Tangi's two children are attorney Thomas Tangi of Jacksonville, Fla., and Tamara Iselin of Burke, Va.